LAS VEGAS - We all know that Vegas is the wedding capital of the world, but we did not know that you can now get a wedding license at the Harry Reid Airport. We flew home last night from L.A. and saw the sign for the pop-up marriage license bureau.
It's right behind luggage carousel #5 and will be open through New Year's Eve. You can pick up your license without going all the way downtown, and just head over to the wedding chapel. So, if you're flying in from Cleveland or Miami or even Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and things go VERY well after a few cocktails, just stop at the pop-up and make it official!
WATCH OUT FOR ROOM SERVICE!!!
After almost 15 years of stops and starts, the Fontainebleau Hotel opened on the Strip, but we gotta tell you about room service. Some friends booked a room and ordered two bottles of water and a pitcher of coffee. The water was $32 bucks, a little pricey at $16 a pop. The coffee was $14, for a total of $46.
Then they added a dining charge which was $9.00, tax $3.85 and a service fee of $8.38. New total, $67.13 for two waters and a mug of java. Checking with the folks at the hotel to find out why drinking water and sipping coffee is considered DINING. Will get back with some answers. And if you text or Email me, I'll deliver four bottles of water and two giant mugs of coffee for $31 bones. And I will NOT accept a tip!
LOX & BAGELS!!!
Gonna roll down to San Antonio for a look at the Alamo Bowl between Arizona and Oklahoma.
Unless you live on the West coast or stay up real late back East, Jedd Fisch is a name you are probably not familiar with. He has quite an extensive resume in both the NFL (Ravens, Patriots, Rams) and college (Michigan, UCLA). But the miracle that is happening in Tucson is AMAZING!
Fisch took over in 2021 after Kevin Sumlin left the program in tatters. The Wildcats had lost 12 in a row including an EMBARRASSING 70-7 beat down at the hands of archrival Arizona State. The cupboard was absolutely BARE and with nothing to work with, 'Zona went 1-11 in Fisch's first season.
In 2022, the 'Cats improved to 5-7, but 2023 has been a dream. Arizona posted a 9-3 record, with six straight wins to close the season, while covering seven of the last eight games. Why? How? Lemme introduce you to redshirt freshman QB Noah Fifita. Since taking over against Stanford, the kid has been FIRE! Fifita completed 217 of 295 passes (73.6%) for 2,515 yards, with 23 TDs and just 5 INTs. That puts Noah at 8th nationally in passing efficiency.
Now we turn to Oklahoma's QB situation and BOY has it hit a YUGE speed bump. The Sooners lit up the scoreboard in their last three games for a total of 159 points with Dillon Gabriel throwing darts. Gabriel passed for 1,014 yards, 10 TDs and ZERO INTs in those games. Guess what? Dillon is GONZO! On the way to Oregon.
The Okies will plug in freshman Jackson Arnold, who has thrown the ball just 24 times this season. And Arnold ain't gonna have it easy because his center, Andrew Raym and right tackle Tyler Guyton, both declared for the NFL draft, while left guard Cayden Green transferred to Missouri. This IS my absolute BEST BET of the college bowl season, and should be a Big Bang for the bank!
To all my millions, as always, PLZ have a SAFE, HAPPY & HEALTHY New Year!
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Benjamin Eckstein is a nationally syndicated sportswriter/oddsmaker. His column, America's Line, with the Ecks & Bacon appetizer, has run in the New York Daily News and over 100 other papers since 1988. You can follow him online at www.americasline.com. He is beloved by most, when he picks winners, and detested by others, when he picks the occasional loser. If you wanna piece of Eck, hit his Email...ben@americasline.com.
